Yemisi Izuora
Access Holdings Plc, has announced its unaudited results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024.
The financial results highlight the group’s continued growth momentum, emphasising resilience and sustainable performance as the Group works to deliver solid returns for its shareholders.
Gross revenue for the nine-month period rose by 114.5 per cent year-on-year, climbing from ₦1.6 trillion in 2023 to ₦3.4 trillion in 2024.
Interest income, a major driver of this growth, represented 70 per cent of gross revenue at ₦2.4 trillion, while non-interest income contributed ₦1.0 trillion, marking an 87.2 per cent increase due to higher transaction volumes on digital channels and other alternative platforms.
Despite inflationary pressures, the cost-to-income ratio remained stable at 60.8 per cent, while profit before tax saw an 89.6 per cent, rise to ₦558.2 billion, and profit after tax rose 82.8 per cent to ₦457.7 billion.
This robust performance translated to an annualised return on equity of 22.2 per cent, with earnings per share up to ₦12.40.
Access Holdings reported significant gains in Q3 2024, driven by strong performance across its banking and non-banking subsidiaries, including Access ARM Pensions, Hydrogen Payments, and Access Insurance Brokers.
The Group’s total assets surged to ₦41.1 trillion, up by 54.0 per cent year-to-date, while shareholders’ equity grew by 51.0 per cent to ₦3.3 trillion.
Customer deposits saw an impressive rise of 45.4 per cent, increasing from ₦15.3 trillion in December 2023 to ₦22.3 trillion by Q3 2024, while gross loans and advances grew 56.2 per cent reaching ₦13.9 trillion.
Access Bank continued its strong performance, with both interest and non-interest income contributing significantly to gross earnings.
Subsidiaries in the UK and across Africa performed particularly well, delivering 54.8 per cent of the Banking Group’s profit before tax, an increase of 185.8 per cent year-on-year.
The Group remains committed to expanding its footprint by offering tailored banking solutions in each region, enhancing customer experience, and advancing cross-border banking capabilities.
The non-banking subsidiaries of Access Holdings also delivered consistent growth. Access ARM Pensions, following a merger with ARM Pensions, now oversees ₦3.1 trillion in assets under management.
Hydrogen Payments processed ₦27.5 trillion in transactions, growing its operating profit by 516% year-on-year to ₦5.7 billion.
Access Insurance Brokers, still in its first year of operations, posted a gross written premium of ₦8.3 billion and a profit before tax of ₦641 million.
New entrant, Oxygen X Finance, the group’s digital lending subsidiary, reported ₦2.1 billion in operating income and a profit before tax of ₦412 million.
Looking ahead, Access Holdings remains focused on enhancing profitability through diversified revenue streams across all markets.
The group is deeply committed to advancing sustainability, embedding environmental, social, and governance principles into its operations to foster positive community impact.
Through ongoing investments in employee development, Access Holdings is building a culture of innovation and excellence, further positioning the group as a driver of long-term value for its shareholders.